LOVE THAT NEVER FADES
Chapter Thirty-Nine

November 4, 1912

Months had quickly passed by, for it was already November, and Rose was almost seven months along in her pregnancy. Jack was at work, as Rose had asked for the day off. The only reason she had asked for the day off was because it was Jack’s twenty-first birthday, and she wanted to surprise him. She hadn’t wished him happy birthday when he left, for she was planning a surprise party, and she acted as if she didn’t know that today was his birthday. Jack just gave her a quick peck on the lips before disappearing down the hall, descending the stairs and going off to work. Rose felt guilty to make him feel hurt in a way, thinking that she had forgotten his birthday, but that was the only way she would be able to succeed in her plans. She had already told Annie to stop by. That way she would be able to help her prepare Jack’s favorite meal, along with a birthday cake. She had recently learned how to make a cake, and Rose wanted to test her skill by preparing one for Jack’s birthday. Patricia, Ruth’s friend, had even volunteered to help Rose with the cake, and Rose was thrilled to have her help with the occasion. Ruth had gone to the grocery store to purchase a few ingredients that Rose would need for the meal she was going to prepare along with the cake.

Patricia was helping Rose by slicing tomatoes, while Rose was over the stove, mixing the spaghetti that was cooking into the pot filled with hot water. Another pot contained a thick mixture of the sauce Jack had shown her how to prepare. That was Jack’s favorite meal, as he had told her. Rose looked over at Patricia and smiled. Patricia was like her aunt, for she had always came to her when her mother wasn’t available, and she always gave her advice when she needed it the most. She watched as Patricia sliced the last of the tomatoes before putting them into the pot of sauce. Jack loved the sauce with lots of tomatoes, and Rose was willing to please him by putting as many tomatoes as she saw fit into the sauce. Rose set the wooden spoon down and waddled over to the counter, standing beside Patricia. She stroked her swollen middle and smiled.

"Guess that little one inside you is growing pretty fast," Patricia commented, looking at her bulging stomach.

Rose smiled and nodded. "It sure is," Rose said. "Now it’s getting hard to walk, and I don’t even know if I’m wearing the same shoes anymore. I haven’t seen my feet in months!"

Patricia laughed, looking at Rose’s feet and finding that she wore one white shoe and one pale blue shoe, both matching the maternity dress that she wore.

"Well, you’re wearing one white shoe and one blue, but they both match the dress you’re wearing," Patricia said.

Rose tried to look at her feet and catch a glimpse of the shoes she wore, and she giggled, finding that she wore two different-colored shoes.

"This is what happens when my middle is the size of a watermelon," Rose said, picking up the trash that was on the counter, waddling over to the trash can, and dumping the disposables in it. She stood up straight and sighed. She looked out the window, finding that the sun was out and the leaves were falling from the trees. "I feel guilty, Patricia. Jack wasn’t very happy when he left."

"And why is that, dear?" Patricia asked.

"Well, I didn’t wish him a happy birthday, and he looked at me as if he knew I knew, and I do…but I truly want this to be a surprise," Rose said, looking at Patricia.

"Darling, don’t worry about it," Patricia said. "I’m sure he’ll forget about it once he comes home from work."

"I just hope he’s not upset with me," Rose said. "I love him to death, and I don’t want him to hate me. Not while our child is due in two months…"

"Rose, he does not hate you!" Patricia said, putting down the kitchen knife and walking towards Rose, putting an arm around her. "He loves you too much to hate you, sweetie. I mean, you’re all he ever talks about when I’m in the room with him. There is never a day that passes by that Jack doesn’t mention you. Rose, don’t you ever think that Jack hates you. You know he loves you with all his heart. Don’t you doubt your love. Not with a child on its way."

Rose looked into Patricia’s eyes and smiled. "You’re right," Rose said. "I shouldn’t doubt my love for Jack, nor his for me. I’m just foolish to think that Jack would hate me…"

"You’re not foolish, Rose," Patricia said. "You’re just worried, and it’s okay for you to be worried when you need to be. There’s nothing wrong with that."

"I just hope that he’s holding up all right," Rose said, looking out the window and stroking her stomach.

*****

Jack entered the art gallery, a bleak expression on his face. He took off his jacket and hung it up on the coat rack, making his way towards the drawing room and setting up his artist’s tools, waiting for customers to stop by. He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. He looked around the room, his lip twitching. Was he upset that Rose had forgotten that today was his twenty-first birthday, or was he just disappointed? He had never cared if anyone had forgotten his birthday before, for he had always been traveling, and had almost never celebrated his birthday. From the moment his parents had died, he hadn’t cared for any special occasions, for they weren’t worth celebrating with his parents gone and not there to celebrate with him, but now that he had Rose, he had thought that he could start celebrating and make his life more joyous than it had been before.

Jack got up and left the room, waiting for customers behind the counter. Normally, Rose would be helping out with customers, but since she had asked for the day off, it was up to him to care for customers until Rose returned the next day. He had hoped that Rose would remember his birthday, since she had remembered everything that they had done together on board the Titanic. He started to think that Rose was beginning to lose her love for him, and he hoped that that wasn’t the case. There was an unborn child involved, for one, and he loved her too much to separate from her again. Nevertheless, he still felt hurt that Rose had forgotten. He thought that she would remember, for he was looking forward to her sweet, loving kisses and her warm embrace. He didn’t want to feel upset with Rose, for he loved her, but he still couldn’t help but feel the disappointment that lingered in his heart. As Jack waited, he heard the door behind him open, Benjamin’s deep voice calling to him.

"Jack?" Benjamin called, standing beside him.

Jack turned, facing his boss, who was three inches shorter than him. He put a forced smile on his face and nodded his head towards him.

"Are you all right?" Benjamin asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You don’t look too happy."

"I’m fine," Jack said, reassuring him.

"How’s Rose?" Benjamin asked, looking at him.

"She’s fine," Jack said.

"She should be having it soon, shouldn’t she?" Benjamin asked.

"Almost two months," Jack said, his voice soft.

"Is that why you’re gloomy?" Benjamin asked. "You’re worried about Rose?"

"No…I mean, yes…I mean, I…" Jack paused, running his fingers through his hair. "I know this might sound stupid, but today’s my twenty-first birthday, and I think Rose forgot…"

"Oh," Benjamin said. "Well, happy birthday, Jack." Benjamin gave him a warm smile. He still saw the bleak expression on his face. "Look, I’m sure Rose didn’t forget. It probably just slipped her mind. She’s in the family way, so maybe she’s worried about the baby…don’t worry, Jack. She’ll probably remember once you come home…"

Jack looked at his boss and gave him a small smile. "Probably," Jack said, looking around the gallery.

"Why don’t you take today off, Jack?" Benjamin asked. "Since it’s your birthday, you should at least relax."

"Nah, I’m fine," Jack said. "I rather stay here…thanks anyway, Ben."

Benjamin sighed and nodded. "All right, then," Benjamin said. "I’ll be in my office if you need me."

Jack nodded his head and watched as Benjamin disappeared into the room, closing the door behind him. Jack sighed and leaned against the counter, waiting for customers to stop by. He didn’t know why he felt disappointed. Rose hadn’t done anything wrong, Jack was sure of that, but then again, he still couldn’t erase the feeling from inside his heart. He had expected Rose to remember, for she remembered everything that they had talked about, but unfortunately, she had forgotten his birthday, or it had slipped her mind. Jack sighed in frustration, for he didn’t want to feel disappointment towards Rose. He loved her more than anything in the world. As these thoughts lingered in his mind, he heard the soft jingle of the bell that hung on the door and looked up, finding that a customer had already arrived. Standing up straight, he got prepared for the day’s work, assisting the customer, who wanted to have their portrait done. Meanwhile, he tried to forget about the disappointment he felt, and went on with what he liked to do best—draw.

*****

It was already three o’clock in the afternoon when Rose, with the help of Patricia, her mother, and Annie, finished preparing Jack’s favorite meal, along with the birthday cake, which she had made with the help of Patricia, who had given her basic instructions. Rose had invited Fabrizio and his girlfriend, Angelina, and Michael. Her mother, Patricia, and Annie would be there, as well, and she had also invited Jimmy. Jimmy had visited once after the situation with Kristen and had apologized for what Kristen had done, and had hoped that they could become friends, and sure enough, Jack and Rose had befriended Jimmy, and kept in touch when needed. A couple of days ago, Rose had gone over to his apartment and had invited him to the party, only making him promise that Jack know nothing about the party. Rose walked over to the bedroom, where she pulled out Jack’s gift from the closet and set it on the bed.

She had purchased a gold pocket watch that had a message engraved on the inside cover. Rose opened the box and pulled out the watch, opening the cover. A smile came over her face, reading the message that was engraved there. The message read: I’ll never let go, Jack…make each day count. I love you…Rose. On the outside cover, Jack’s name was engraved. She ran her finger over the smooth surface and put it neatly back in the box before putting the lid over it. Having done that, she got up with some difficulty and waddled over to the dresser, pulling open one of the drawers, taking out a shiny piece of wrapping paper that she had purchased along with the watch, and grabbing some tape. She sat down on the edge of the bed, laying out the piece of wrapping paper and setting the box in the middle. She began wrapping it carefully, using the tape to hold the piece of paper onto the box. In a few minutes, Rose had accomplished the task of wrapping Jack’s gift. Setting the excess pieces of wrapping paper aside, she got up, took the scissor and the tape with her and set them on top of the dressing table, and set the wrapped gift in front of their wedding picture.

Rose smiled, looking at the picture of their wedding day. She saw pure happiness and love shining in both of their eyes, Jack holding her close and Rose leaning her head against his shoulder. She remembered when the picture had been taken. It had been just before they were to cut the wedding cake, and after they had shared their first dance together as husband and wife. Rose would never forget that day. She remembered it, as if it were yesterday. A smile came over her face, drifting down memory lane.

*****

Jack and Rose shared a kiss after they had danced. It had been their first dance as husband and wife, for they had been married for only half an hour. People were gathered around, watching the young lovers dance. Neither Jack nor Rose knew who these people were. They only knew Michael, Annie, and, of course, Ruth, Rose’s mother. The others were either some of Annie’s family members and friends or Michael’s family and friends. To Jack and Rose, it didn’t matter who those people were. They were madly in love with each other. Jack took Rose’s hand in his and led her towards their table, just as Michael stopped them.

"I hired a photographer to take your picture," Michael said. "What would a wedding be without a picture to remind you of how wonderful this day was?"

Jack chuckled and held Rose close. "Well, if you insist," Jack said, positioning himself and putting an arm around Rose, who leaned her head against his shoulder. He put a kiss on top of her curls before facing the camera and putting on a bright smile, his eyes shimmering with love and happiness. He had never felt this happy and loved before in his entire life. Of course, his parents had loved him, but that had been much different from having someone who wasn’t related to him by blood love him with all her heart and soul. Now, Rose was a part of the Dawson family, and he had someone to love him and care for him. For the past five years, he had been on his own—heading out for the horizon. But once he had laid eyes on Rose, on the grandest ship in the world, he had known that his life wouldn’t be the same, and it wasn’t. Rose had changed him, which wasn’t a bad thing. Rose had made him a better man. He had never expected to settle down and marry someone. He had never expected to fall in love with the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. He had never expected to fall in love with a first class girl after saving her from the misery of a forced engagement to her fiancé, Caledon Hockley. Jack was glad that he had sailed on the Titanic. Jack was glad that he had won that ticket. For if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be Rose’s husband right now. He probably would’ve been in England, sleeping under bridges alongside his best friend, Fabrizio. But things had indeed changed once he had set foot onto the Titanic. He had met the love of his life, and he knew that nothing would ever make his life worthwhile but Rose, who had made him realize what love was and that it actually existed. He believed that fate had brought them together. He believed that fate had given him a signal that day when they had shared their first glance. Jack held Rose close to him, smiling at the camera. He knew that his life would be perfect from that day on, for he had married his love and knew that their love would last forever, and even beyond that.

Rose leaned her head against Jack’s shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist. She felt warmth envelope her body, feeling Jack press against her, smiling at the camera. Her smile was bright, her emerald-blue eyes shimmering with love and happiness. Rose looked back on the years before she had met Jack and realized just how miserable she had been. She remembered how she would be yelled at by her mother if she wore something that wasn’t appropriate attire for a lady like Rose. Her mother would usually buy her clothes for her, never giving her a chance to choose for herself. Her mother hated simplicity, and usually went to the most expensive and fancy stores. And right after her father had died, Rose had been forced to accept the proposal of Caledon Hockley—the son of a Pittsburgh steel tycoon—for her mother had informed her that her father had left a large amount of debts from the medical bills, but Rose couldn’t have cared less if she ended up poor. She was never happy as a debutante—even when her father was alive. She would rather have been poor and happy than rich and miserable, which was how she had felt when she was in the high society world. Rose was brought back to reality when Jack brushed his hand against her waist and held her close. Rose widened her smile and looked at the camera just as the photographer took the picture.

Once the picture had been taken, Jack turned and pulled Rose into a kiss that sent shivers up Rose’s spine. After they broke from their kiss, Jack embraced Rose with love and affection, holding her close. He pressed his cheek against hers and whispered I love you in her ear, causing Rose to smile and whisper the same words into his ear. Jack gave Rose a tender kiss on the cheek before taking her hand in his and leading her towards the wedding cake that stood on the table, waiting to be eaten. Jack picked up the knife that was beside the cake and put Rose’s hand on top of his, both closing their eyes and making a wish, cutting through the delicious cake. After they had made the first cut, Jack took the knife and made another cut through the cake until he had a decent slice and put it on a small plate. He was handed a fork by Michael. Smiling, he turned to Rose, cut off a piece of the cake, and held the fork out to Rose, a smile on his face. He watched as Rose smiled back and opened her mouth wide enough for Jack to put the bite of cake in her mouth and slide the fork out, handing it to Rose.

Rose chewed the wedding cake that had been put in her mouth and smiled at Jack as he handed her the fork and plate that held the slice of cake. Rose took the items that had been handed to her and dug into the cake, filling the fork with it. Jack brought her into another kiss. When they pulled apart, they gazed into each other’s eyes and smiled.

The two lovers embraced and went towards their table, sitting down, their hands intertwining lovingly as they watched Michael cut the rest of the cake, handing it to the guests. They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. Their love reflected in each other’s eyes as they leaned in and shared yet another kiss. From that moment, they knew nothing would ever come between them.

*****

Rose walked into the parlor, her hand over her swollen middle, finding everyone seated either on the couch or the loveseat. Rose smiled at them and was about to take a seat herself when there was a knock on the door. Rose looked at the clock, finding that it was a quarter to four, meaning that Jack wouldn’t be home for another twenty minutes or so. Making her way towards the door, she pulled it open and smiled, finding Jimmy standing on the other side.

"Hello, Jimmy," Rose said. "I’m glad you came." Rose stepped aside, allowing him to enter the apartment.

"I wouldn’t miss this for the world," Jimmy said, smiling at her and holding a wrapped gift in his hands.

"Set that over on the coffee table," Rose said, pointing to the table that was filled with small gifts from their friends.

"Okay," Jimmy said, setting the gift on top of another as he sat down.

Rose smiled and closed the door behind her. "Jack should be here in twenty minutes, so make yourselves comfortable," Rose told everyone, waddling over to the kitchen to get a glass of milk for herself and other drinks for her guests. When she returned to the parlor, a tray of drinks in her hand, she handed everyone a glass and sat down in the armchair, putting the tray on the coffee table beside the wrapped gifts. She took a sip of the milk before leaning back, waiting for Jack’s return from work.

*****

The clock struck four in the gallery, and Jack was packing things up, ready to close. Benjamin had left early, having heard that his daughter had arrived from Cedar Rapids, and had informed Benjamin that she had returned with someone special. Jack had told Benjamin that he would close the gallery, and that he should head off and see his daughter. Benjamin had thanked him and wished him a happy birthday before leaving Jack to care for the gallery. Now, having finished his working hours, Jack began packing things together. He took a drawing that lay on the table and slid it into his portfolio, making a mental note that he should finish it later. After cleaning up the table, he closed the drawing room door and went into Benjamin’s office, taking the key from the wall and leaving the art gallery after putting on his coat. Once he was outside, he pulled the door closed, slid the key into the keyhole, and locked the door. After doing so, he slipped the brass key into his pocket and began walking towards his apartment building, putting his hands in his pants’ pockets. His golden hair fluttered in the chill wind as he made his way up the sidewalk. His lips were pressed together, his blue eyes holding a grim glow, still a tad bit disappointed that Rose had forgotten his birthday.

As Jack was walking, he passed a little girl who had light brown hair and soft brown eyes. She seemed to be about three years old, and held a balloon in her hand. Jack smiled as he envisioned his son or daughter running around the park, holding a balloon in their hand, while he stood by Rose and kissed her. Rose was due in two months, and Jack was growing more nervous every day. Probably more nervous than he should be. He would often jump when Rose would gasp and clutch her stomach, then realize that the baby had kicked. Being a first time father was beginning to make him nervous about what kind of father he would turn out to be. However, he still wanted to experience fatherhood, just as Rose wanted to experience motherhood. He was growing more and more anxious to become a father, watching Rose’s stomach grow, the baby developing inside of her. He was now one block away from the apartment building, quickly making his way across the street before he began walking at a normal pace until he stood in front of the building. Looking up, he walked over to the front steps and took a seat, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it up. Smoking was the only way he could erase his negative feelings towards Rose at the moment. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Rose had forgotten, yet couldn’t help but feel pure love for her. He didn’t want to care that she had forgotten, for he hadn’t cared before, and sure enough, it really hadn’t mattered to him then.

But now he had Rose, who was his love and his wife, and he had really expected her to remember, but seemingly she hadn’t, and that hurt him. Jack had never forgotten a word that had been uttered from Rose’s mouth from that time when they had sat down and gotten to know each other. He had learned many things about her that he hadn’t known before. He knew that she was born on the twenty-fourth of December of the year 1894, and he knew that she had loved her father more than her mother because her father had treated her like a father should treat a daughter, and he knew that he had died of leukemia, so he knew that Rose knew what it felt like to lose a parent, like he had lost both. Meanwhile, his heart still had that disappointment, and he wanted to mentally kick himself for feeling that way about Rose. Rose had done absolutely nothing wrong, but he felt discontented towards her. He took a long drag from the cigarette, letting out the smoke through his nose, looking around the neighborhood. He would often hear cars zooming by or children playing by the front of the apartment building. But at the moment, no one was out, and only a few cars passed by. Finishing off his cigarette, he got up and flicked it onto the pavement, going inside the front entrance and climbing the stairs, ready to face his wife and see if she had actually forgotten his birthday.

*****

It was already four o’clock, and it would take only fifteen minutes for Jack to arrive home from work. Fabrizio and Angelina had arrived five minutes earlier, leaving only Jack, the guest of honor, to arrive. The cake was on the kitchen table, fully decorated and ready to eat, while Jack’s favorite meal was on the stove, waiting to be served and eaten as well. Rose had changed into a green maternity dress with the help of Annie, who had helped Rose put on a pair of matching shoes as well. Rose had let her curls down, just as Jack loved them, and soon returned to the parlor, where everyone complimented her on how beautiful she looked. Rose sat herself carefully in the armchair, looking at the grandfather clock, which read that it was exactly ten minutes past four, leaving five minutes until Jack would arrive. She looked over at Fabrizio and Angelina and smiled.

"So, how are you two holding up?" Rose asked, stroking her stomach absentmindedly.

"Bene," Fabrizio said, smiling brightly, looking at Angelina. "We talk about everything together—like you and Jack, and we hope to have what you two have…"

Rose smiled and blushed, looking at her bulging middle.

"I know you’ll have something Jack and I have," Rose said, smiling. "If you know you love each other, then you’ll know that you’re made for each other."

Fabrizio smiled at her and looked at Angelina. "I believe that, too," Fabrizio said. He watched Angelina smile back at him, a bright smile.

Rose’s smile grew, watching the two gaze into each other’s eyes. Sighing happily, she looked at the clock, realizing that Jack would be home in less than a minute. Rose got up from the chair with a bit of difficulty and stood up, looking at her guests.

"Well, Jack should be home in a minute," Rose said. "Why don’t you guys hide somewhere? Then, when you hear the door open, we’ll surprise him. All right?"

Everyone nodded, and in seconds, they had all hidden in their own spots, while Rose shut off the lights and stood beside the door, waiting for Jack’s return. She stroked her middle gently, biting her lip from the anticipation that was building up inside her. She closed her eyes for the brief moment, and couldn’t fight off the smile that was spreading across her face. Her heart raced as she waited for her husband’s return, and within thirty seconds, she heard the doorknob jiggle.

*****

Jack walked towards the door with slumped shoulders. His hair was tousled from the wind, and he held the portfolio against his side, his hand in his pocket. He put his free hand on the doorknob, twisting it. He pushed open the door and stepped in, not aware that the room was dark. He closed the door and set the portfolio on the side table, switching on the light, and as he did so, he felt someone’s arms wrap around him and press their lips against his, everyone else screaming surprise. After Rose had kissed him, he looked around the room, finding everyone from Ruth to Jimmy there, smiling at him.

"What?" Jack asked, looking at Rose, who looked at him with a bright smile on her face.

"Happy birthday, Jack," Rose said, smiling at his reaction.

Jack smiled, feeling the corners of his eyes fill with tears. "You didn’t forget…" Jack whispered, looking at her.

"Of course I didn’t forget," Rose said, smiling. "I would never forget your birthday." Rose pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, she looked into his eyes and smiled. "I fooled you, didn’t I?"

Jack chuckled and nodded. "Sure did," Jack said. "I was depressed at work today, thinking that you forgot…how foolish of me."

"My Jack Dawson? Depressed? Over someone forgetting his birthday?" Rose asked, a teasing smile on her face. "I would never have guessed…"

Jack laughed and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I love you, Rose," Jack said, their faces only an inch apart. "With all my heart…" With that, Jack pulled Rose into a kiss, oblivious to the world around them—not fully realizing that they were being watched by their guests.

"Ahem…" Ruth coughed, her face reddening.

The two broke apart and looked towards Ruth, arms wrapped around each other. They smiled and blushed, the other guests applauding for them. Jack let Rose go, making his way towards his other guests, who gave him birthday hugs and friendly kisses on the cheek. Fabrizio, who held Angelina’s hand gracefully, looked into Jack’s eyes and smiled.

"Buon compleanno, il mio amico," Fabrizio said. "Hope you have all your wishes granted…you are a good friend, Jack. And I am glad to have met you."

Jack smiled and pulled his best friend into a hug. "Thank you for being there for me when I needed you the most. If it weren’t for you, Rose and I wouldn’t be here right now…thanks, Fabri. Thank you for being my friend, and thank you for your well-spoken advice. I could never have done it without you," Jack said, looking at his friend, whom he looked at as his brother.

"I have done nothing, Jack," Fabrizio said. "You did it per tu stesso…I just help you get in that direzione…otherwise, you have ‘a followed il tuo cuore…you are in l’amore con la bella Rosa, and I know you are. I see it in your eyes that you love her. I have done nothing but be there for you…otherwise, you have done everything yourself…capisce?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Capisce," Jack said. "But I still think that I couldn’t have done it without you. You are like a brother to me, Fabri, and I take your advice when needed, and that night, I did…that night I used your advice when I was about to chicken out and just let Rose slip out of my hands. Again, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me. For sticking with me, and believing in me…and…" Jack paused, trying to gather his thoughts. Fabrizio had been there for most of his traveling days, from when he had been in Italy, and had traveled with him from Germany to England, where they had set sail on the grand ship, and where their lives had changed forever—in good ways and bad. "I just want to tell you that you’re the only brother figure I have ever had in my life. I have never had anyone to look up to while I was traveling, and having you there with me made me stronger in a way. Made me know that someday I would take you to your destiny, and I have…I have…I kept my promise to you, and…I just want you to know how I cherish every moment that we spent together in Europe with all my heart, and that I will never forget those days for as long as I shall live."

Fabrizio smiled, his face brightening, looking into Jack’s ocean-blue eyes. To Fabrizio, Jack was his brother—not by blood, but by spirit—and he was always there when he needed him. Fabrizio also hadn’t had a brother figure, nor had he had anyone to talk to or to express his feelings to and share his dreams. But once he had met Jack, everything had changed--for the better and for the worse--but Fabrizio did not regret anything—not even the sinking—for it had made him stronger and braver. Of course, he still mourned over those who died on that night, and he often looked up at the sky, praying for those who had lost their lives, but for the better, Fabrizio had come to realize that life wasn’t to be wasted, but be lived to the fullest. Jack often counseled him to make each day count and live life to the fullest, but Fabrizio hadn’t taken it as seriously as he should’ve, for he had thought that the Titanic was unsinkable, like others did, and thought that nothing would go wrong, but he was proved wrong once the ship struck the iceberg. Unfortunately, he had lost his first love—Helga—to the Titanic, and even though she was Norwegian and he was Italian, and neither had understood any word that they were saying, he had fallen in love with her. He remembered when he had tried to get her and her family to a boat, but them not understanding a word he had spoken—either in Italian or in English—had caused Helga and her family to stay aboard the sinking ship, and to die there together. Sometimes Fabrizio wished he had gone down with her as well, but when he looked at how his life had turned out, he knew that he was meant to be on this earth a bit longer, and that he would reunite with Helga again in the afterworld. He looked up into Jack’s soft blue eyes and couldn’t help but smile.

"I cherish the moments, too," Fabrizio said, putting a hand on Jack’s shoulder. "Especially those times that we have ‘a been in tragedy…I want you to know I will always be here if you ‘a need anyone to talk to…we will ‘a be friends forever, and brothers for life…tu sono il mio famiglia, and I care for you as if you are ‘a my real brother. Happy birthday, Jack…I hope today is as good as all of your birthdays—if not, then better."

Jack smiled. "It certainly has gotten better, Fabri," Jack said, smiling and pulling Fabrizio into another hug. "Thanks…"

Jack moved towards Ruth, who smiled at him and put a hand on his cheek. Jack looked at her with a smile. She was the only mother he had, and he cherished their relationship now and hoped that it would stay the way it was for as long as they lived on the earth. Those days on the Titanic were history, and should be kept in the past—where they belonged. Jack didn’t want to look back on how their relationship had been aboard the ship. Ruth had treated Jack with disrespect and hatred, as he had fallen in love with her daughter and caused her daughter to flee from Cal, who was her fiancé, and taken away her chance of saving the family fortune. But Jack realized how the tragedy had changed her feelings towards him. Jack had never felt hatred for Rose’s mother—even when she had tried to keep him away from Rose. He could never learn to hate anyone who had done no harm, although he still felt hatred towards Cal for what he had done to him and Rose on the ship while it was sinking. He still found it hard to be friends with him after what he had done. He still didn’t trust him—even if he had a new fiancée, and even if he had begged for their forgiveness—he still felt that Cal had something up his sleeve, and Jack had to keep his eyes open around him, just to make sure that he would do nothing to his marriage to Rose. It was his duty to protect her when needed, and when he was around Cal, he felt the need to be Rose’s protector and keep her out of harm’s way. But looking at his mother-in-law now, he saw her eyes softening and her smile brightening as she looked at him. She didn’t hold the hatred that she had aboard the Titanic in her eyes anymore, and she didn’t push Jack away from Rose now that he was her husband. He felt as if their relationship had blossomed quickly after the ship had sunk. Before, Ruth hadn’t cared about what happened to him, for when he had been framed for stealing the Heart of the Ocean, she had held Rose back and just watched Jack being dragged away while he called out to Rose that she knew him and that he hadn’t done it. Jack remembered the days that they were on the Carpathia, and when he had awakened from his coma, Ruth had embraced him and said that she was glad he had lived—which Jack had been surprised to hear that from Ruth DeWitt Bukater, who had wanted her daughter to marry the rich man, Caledon Hockley.

Jack believed that Ruth had changed during the tragic night, for that dreadful night had changed everyone. She had heard many people scream in agony, floating in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, and she had witnessed the ship’s sinking, knowing that her daughter was on the ship, possibly dead. But, luckily, Rose had been with Jack, and he had seen to it that she survived, and he hadn’t expected himself to live, for he had been in the water longer than Rose had, and had had a bad case of hypothermia. Jack had saved Rose’s life, and she had saved his life in return. If the boat hadn’t returned when it had, Jack wouldn’t be alive. Then where would Rose be? She would be single, pregnant, and alone—to live her life for Jack and for their unborn child. Jack was glad that he had lived and was glad to have been able to marry the love of his life and watch their developing child grow inside her. He was glad to have been given a second chance at living—a second chance at being able to live life to the fullest and being with the one he loved the most. Of course, if he hadn’t lived, Rose would’ve made it on her own—making each day count, as he had once said—and surviving, both for her and for their unborn child, which was now developing inside of her. But Jack was glad to have lived and glad to be able to live with Rose and watch their love grow by the minute. Jack looked at his mother-in-law, his blue eyes shining with pride and love—love for a mother—her hands on his cheeks. Her eyes shone brightly, looking at him.

"Jack," Ruth said, her voice soft and calm. "You are my son—the son that I never had—and I’m glad that you have forgiven me for what I’ve done to you. If I could change time, I would change the way that I treated you. When I see you with my daughter, I see the love shining in your eyes—something that was never reflected in Cal’s eyes when he looked at her. I have always thought that if Rose fell in love, she would end up heartbroken—like I have. I was afraid that she would end up hurt, and that was one of the reason’s why I chose her fiancé. Also, at that time, we were in a precarious situation, and all our money had gone to the medical bills that had to be paid after my husband’s death, and I felt that in order to save our name and to still stand in high society, I had to let Rose get engaged to the richest bachelor in town, and that was Caledon Hockley." Ruth stopped, sighing. "I know I sold away my daughter for my own stubborn, selfish reasons, but I was scared. I was scared to live out in the streets, and to be poor, as you were…I was just scared." Ruth gazed into Jack’s eyes. "I hope you can forgive me for what I have done—and I know I have asked for your forgiveness before, but I have never gotten the chance to forgive myself for what I have done. Jack, I want you to know that I’m glad you saved my daughter from marrying a heartless man. I’m glad that you married my daughter and love her the way a husband should love a wife. I want you to know that you’ll never see the old Ruth again. You’ll never see the woman that felt nothing but hatred towards you, and I promise you, she will never emerge again. I’m a changed woman, Jack. I am, and always will be."

"Ruth, I forgave you even before you asked for forgiveness," Jack said. "I couldn’t find it in my heart to return the hatred that you felt for me…I was not raised that way. You caused no harm to me—although you did force Rose into a loveless engagement—but I know you meant well and just wanted what was best for your daughter. I know you have changed, and I’m glad you have. You’re the only mother I have, and I can’t destroy our relationship because of what happened in the past. I’m glad that we have grown to get along, and I’m glad that you accepted me as your son—you don’t know how much that means to me, knowing that you have accepted me in your life, and I…" Jack paused, feeling tears beginning to well up in the corners of his eyes. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers, fighting the tears back. "I want you to know that I love you as a son loves his mother—I loved my mother with all my heart, and I’m sure I love you the same."

Ruth smiled. "I’m glad to have you as a son-in-law, and I’m glad that you married my daughter," Ruth said, gazing into his eyes. "Happy birthday, Jack. May all your wishes come true." Ruth put a motherly kiss on his cheek, watching him look at her, his eyes glistening with tears.

"I think they already have, Ruth," Jack said, a smile on his face. "I think they already have." Jack felt Ruth give him a hug and put another kiss on his cheek.

Rose smiled, watching her mother and Jack hug each other. She realized just how much her mother had changed, and that she treated Jack as her own son. Rose stroked her middle tenderly, a smile her face, watching Jack smile happily. She had never seen his face light up the way it did when he was surrounded by their guests, all wishing him a happy birthday. Rose felt warmth envelope her body, watching Jack hug Annie. As he did, he looked at Rose and smiled. Rose smiled back, feeling her eyes sparkle, looking at him. Her fingers were spread over her middle, feeling her unborn child kick. Her smile grew and brightened, looking at her middle. Sighing happily, she looked up and gazed into Jack’s eyes lovingly. She was glad that she had made Jack as happy as he was now, and was glad to have given him a surprise. He had done so much for her that Rose felt that she owed him something back, and now she had—she had made Jack’s day jubilant and made him realize that he was loved. Rose looked at her husband and smiled, feeling her heart flutter in her ribcage, feeling the same way that she had the first time she had laid eyes on him. Her love for Jack grew stronger than it had before.

Chapter Forty
Stories